


Once Upon an OQ Week

by NightLady



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-05
Updated: 2014-07-05
Packaged: 2018-02-07 13:15:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1900299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NightLady/pseuds/NightLady
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A compilation of my works for Outlaw Queen Week 2014.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Mine on Miner's Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> OQ Week Day 1: True Love's Kiss

Amusement and mischief danced in Regina’s eyes as she watched Robin almost cower with fear when Leroy approached him in the booth. She had paid really good money for this and she would not miss it for the world.

"No… No, Leroy. Don’t you dare!" Robin exclaimed, his voice rising as a result of his panic when the dwarf approached him with his lips puckered. Leroy ignored him and simply closed in on him. When their lips were about to touch, the dwarf burst out laughing and stalked away in Regina’s direction. Robin relaxed visibly, and silently cursed himself for agreeing to this.

It was the Annual Miner’s Day Celebration and this year, there was a twist to the usual simple affair. They were going to set up a kissing booth and Robin had volunteered almost immediately. He had known that there was magic involved and only a True Love’s kiss can release the volunteers from getting kissed by other townsfolk, so he signed up in hopes of getting Regina to kiss him publicly. Belle, Henry, Snow and several others had volunteered as well, but they were released almost immediately by their respective true loves. Emma had wanted to watch Henry suffer for a bit but Regina had ruin that by kissing her son on the forehead before the blonde could stop her. That sparked an idea in Regina’s mind.

Smirking to herself, she had approached several townsfolk and paid them to either kiss Robin on the face or at least scare him into thinking that they were going to kiss him. That would teach him not to try to trap her into any kinds of public displays of affection with him. The poor Outlaw was the only one left at the booth.

Besides Leroy, Regina had managed to garner the help of Granny, Dr. Whale, Little John and several other Merry Men. She would’ve gotten Rumple to play along, had his price not been that steep. Regina burst out laughing when his eyes grew wide and he tried to threaten Little John as the man leaned in for a kiss and planted his lips on Robin’s cheek. Little John was the last of the crew but Regina was not going to let Robin know that.

Robin caught sight of his young son walking by and called out to him, “Roland! Come here and give Papa a kiss, will you?”

"Nope. Mommy said that if I want extra marshmallows on my hot chocolate tonight, I cannot kiss you today," The little boy shook his head fervently and ran towards Regina.

Regina picked him up and kissed him on the cheek, “And Roland shall get extra marshmallows for listening to Mommy.”

"Oh, c’mon, Regina, please. I’m sorry for volunteering. Just, help. Please? I have been living in fear for the past hour, wondering who’s going to try to kiss me next and it’s pure torture," Robin groaned, his face scrunching up in disgust as he recalled nearly getting kissed by several of the Merry Men and the dwarf.

Regina laughed and approached her soul mate. Her laughter was like a pleasant song to his ears and his eyes filled with hope when she approached him.

"There’s a reason why no one kissed you on the lips, dear," She winked at him before leaning in a planting a kiss on his lips. As they deepened the kiss, he felt the invisible shackles around him break and he smiled into the kiss.

"I love you, Regina. Even if you hate having an audience when we kiss," Robin whispered when they broke the kiss.

Regina rested her forehead against his and smiled as they gazed lovingly into each other’s eyes.

"I love you too, Robin," She said before leaning in for another kiss.


	2. From Fissures to Fault Lines

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> OQ Week Day 2: Trapped Together

"Would you please stop that? Magic obviously cannot get us out of this trap," Robin said as he leaned against the wall of the dark cave. He kept his eyes on the former Evil Queen, admiring the way her clothes seemed accentuate her curves perfectly.

Regina had been pacing the short span of the shallow cave for the past few minutes, hurling random balls of magic at the collapsed entrance of the cave which kept them trapped inside. There was some sort of magic keeping them in and no matter how she tried, she could not blast an opening to get them out. She was angry and frustrated - even more so since she was trapped with the thief who infuriated her to no end.

"And who was it who got us into this trap? Should I remind you that it was you who suggested that we spend the night in this cave before heading back to the castle when dawn breaks? Look where it got us," Regina sneered, stalking towards the Outlaw, anger flashing in her eyes.

"Well, I thought that…" Robin tried to counter before being interrupted by the Queen.

"Well, you thought wrong," She snapped back at him. With a swift turn, she resumed her pacing, her breaths becoming pants, which she hoped would portray her anger over her fear.

"I shouldn’t have come in here with you. I should have known. Thieves like you cannot be trusted!" Regina uttered as her breaths grew shorter and the speed of her pacing increased.

Robin studied the woman in front of him. Sure, things have always been rough between the two of them over the past few months since he had rescued Snow and the Queen from the flying monkey. He was used to her snapping at him and making snark remarks but this was different. She appeared almost subdued as she continued to blame him for their predicament. It was almost as if…

The thought struck him and his mouth opened involuntarily in realization. Regina was using her anger as a mask for her fear, which was growing as the minutes passed. She fears tiny enclosed spaces like this cave. That would explain her reluctance in entering the cave prior to being trapped and why she appeared to be on the brink of a panic attack.

"Regina…" Robin said softly as he stood up and approached the stunning woman. She looked up immediately and their eyes met. He could see the array of emotions that danced across the brown orbs: Anger, frustration, helplessness and most of all, fear. For the first time since they had met, he sensed the vulnerability hidden behind the layers of masks Regina had placed on herself.

"It’s ‘Your Majesty’," Regina tried to snap at the man but it came out soft and her voice had trembled ever so slightly. She felt like a weakling.

“ _Weak. That’s all you’ve ever been. Weak, weak, weak,_ " Rumple’s voice resonated in her mind, his annoying impish laughter caused her to squat down and clutch her head.

_"You need to stop being this weak, my darling daughter,"_  Cora’s voice came next, coupled with the memories of being locked in a tiny cage in the dark dungeons of her childhood home. Regina let out the softest whimper and covered her ears with her hand.

"Stop. Please. Mother, please let me out. I’ll be good, I promise," she pleaded.

Robin watched on as the woman broke down in front of him. She was now trembling, haunted by the memories of her past and the voices in her head. She was no longer that daring woman and she seemed small. Robin stepped forward and placed his arms around the brunette, embracing her.

"Regina, come back to me," He soothed, "It’s fine, we’re okay here. No one can get to you here. We’ll find a way out soon enough."

At the sound of his voice, Regina was brought back to the present. She let herself sink into his arms. With watery eyes, she dared herself to look up at the man holding her and for a minute, her haunted brown orbs found solace in Robin’s reassuring blue eyes. It was strange, for she hadn’t felt this safe in years and she found that she was reveling in his embrace.

Regina rested her head against his chest and closed her eyes. Robin held onto her tightly, his arms protecting the woman who intrigued him so much. Neither of them had any idea how long they remained in that position until Snow and her men rescued them from the cave.

At the sound of their voices, Regina pushed herself off Robin, her mask replaced immediately. With a glare, she warned the slightly confused Outlaw, “Don’t you dare breathe a word of this to anyone.”

When all the rock fragments had been removed to form a clear path out of the cave, Regina strode out regally, the mask of the Evil Queen slipping easily back. Robin chuckled to himself in disbelief. This was the second crack in the woman’s mask that he’d experienced since they had met and he swore that one day, he would not just uncover the other fissures but mend them as well. One day, the fissures in her outer shell will become fault lines that only the Outlaw can see.


	3. Firsts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> OQ Week Day 3: Firsts

"Regina?" Robin called out, trying not to startle the little girl in front of him. "Regina, you better come quickly."

The brunette rushed into the room, a worried look plastered on her face, “What is it, Robin? Is Vida alright?”

She stopped short when she saw her daughter looking up at her with a smile that could thaw a thousand frozen hearts. Her mouth opened slightly when she realized what was about to happen, having already been through that once with Henry. Her little princess was about to take her very first step.

"Robin…" She muttered in amazement.

Robin grinned at her and nodded, “Yup.”

Robin then stretched out his arms and smiled at Vida, “Come here, darling.”

Vida watched her parents with wide eyes as Regina moved to Robin’s side. The tiny brunette let out an excited giggle and took her very first step towards the couple, who watched on with great intensity. Both Robin and Regina cheered their daughter on, urging her to take a few more steps towards them. Robin’s hands were still stretched out, ready to catch his daughter in case she fell.

In a few quick steps, Vida walked towards them and fell into Robin’s arms with giggles. Regina kissed her daughter and smiled at her lovingly, “Well done, Vida. Your very first steps!”

* * *

  
“Mm-ah… Mama… Go on, Vida. Say Mm-ah-ma,” Regina coaxed, exaggerating the enunciation of the words in hopes that her baby’s first word would be ‘Mama’.

"Oh ho, nope. Not going to happen, milady. Say Papa, Vida. Pa-pa," Robin interrupted with a grin.

"No, her first word is going to be ‘Mama’," Regina countered before rubbing her nose against that of the child in her arms. "Right, Vida? Say Mama."

"Nah, I’m pretty sure it’d be ‘Papa’. Roland’s first word was ‘Papa’," Robin said nonchalantly.

"Henry’s first word was ‘Mama’," Regina threw back.

"Henry didn’t have a father figure then," Robin shrugged.

"The same could be said for Roland when it comes to mother figures," Regina quipped.

"Oh, you want to go there?" The two continued to bicker, throwing playful snipes at each other.

"Mmm-ah…Mmm-ah," The sound of Vida’s voice stopped the couple’s childish bickering. They froze and glanced at each other before looking back at their daughter.

"What did you say, darling?" Regina asked as Vida repeated herself.

Regina let out an excited shriek and planted a huge kiss on her daughter’s cheek before looking back at her soul mate with a triumphant smile, “I told you it’d be ‘Mama’.”

Robin simply shrugged and kissed Regina, “Then her second word shall be ‘Papa’.”

* * *

  
Robin looked at Regina, concern written on his face. She was gripping the steering wheel so tightly that her knuckles were turning white. Her lips were pressed tightly together in a thin line. She was there physically but Robin knew her mind was elsewhere.

"Are you alright?" He asked, worried about his soul mate. The car slowed to a stop just right outside their destination. Regina turned in her seat and stared into Robin’s blue orbs.

"It’s just, this is our first date without any of the children since we’ve had Vida. I know I should be more excited for this but I kind of miss the children and am worried about them," Regina admitted.

Every date that they’ve been on since Vida’s arrival had been more of a family affair. Snow had finally convinced the couple to spend some time alone without the children and thus, tonight became their night. It was Marian’s week to have Roland and Henry and Vida were with the Charmings. They had decided to have dinner at Tony’s and then spend the rest of the night together. It would just be the two of them.

Yet, they had barely just dropped the children off and Regina was already missing them. Robin stroked Regina’s cheek gently and she leaned into the touch.

"It’s okay, I miss them too," He smiled. "You know what? We can drop by and pick them up after dinner. They’ll be fine being there for an hour or so."

Regina’s eyes widened, “Really? Thank you, Robin. I know you were looking forward to this so much and now I’ve somewhat ruined it…”

"It’s okay. We’ll have plenty of dates to come," He reassured her and planted a deep kiss on her lips.


	4. Of Apple Turnovers and Cinnamon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> OQ Week Day 4: Domesticity

Regina stepped into the house, desperately needing some aspirin for her migraine. She rubbed her temples and set her keys on the table. The house was strangely quiet and it was the hushed whispering of the young boy that gave away their location to the brunette. She narrowed her eyes and stalked into the kitchen. She gaped in disbelief and fury flashed across her eyes as she took in the sight in front of her.

 

Her kitchen, which was usually kept in pristine conditions, was a complete mess. Flour littered the floor and covered the top of the counter. There were apple slices stuck onto the walls, as well as a sticky brown substance which she suspected was caramelised sugar. Two sheepish faces stared back at her whilst the third simply grinned and jumped into her arms. All three were covered in flour and the toddler in her arms made things worse by getting flour on her black dress.

 

“Erm, hi Mom?” Henry said, trying to avoid her piercing gaze.

 

“Regina! We weren’t expecting you home so early,” Robin’s input earned him a glare from his girlfriend.

 

“Just what have you done to my kitchen?” Regina said through gritted teeth, her migraine getting worse by the minute. The bouncing toddler in her arms planted a sticky kiss on her cheek, seemingly sensing her current mood.

 

“We made you apple turnovers, Mommy Regina,” Roland declared proudly as he nuzzled his face into the crook of her neck. “It’s going to taste really good.”

 

She looked at Robin and Henry for confirmation, both of whom were nodding fervently. Deciding to torture them for a little while longer, Regina headed into the kitchen, eyeing the mess with a frown. Henry nudged Robin for help. There was no way they would be getting out of this alive without any input from his mother’s soul mate.

 

“Regina! The turnovers will be ready soon. You should go upstairs and have a bath and you’ll get to taste them soon,” Robin piped in, a little too cheerfully. Regina raised an eyebrow and handed Roland over to his father.

 

“Well, I sincerely doubt I’d be able to enjoy anything when my kitchen is in this condition,” She drawled, crossing her arms.

 

“We’ll get it cleaned by the time you return downstairs!” Henry exclaimed.

 

Regina held back a chuckle at how nervous her son and soul mate were and left the kitchen, “I expect my kitchen to be in pristine condition when I return. And must I remind you that only one person makes the best turnovers in town?”

 

Robin chuckled, “We all know who that is, milady. Now, if you’ll let us get to cleaning this kitchen, we have a Queen to please.”

 

Regina laughed and went upstairs for a shower and an aspirin. She took longer than usual in order to allow Robin and Henry enough time to clean up. They were still cleaning when she returned downstairs so she decided to give Roland a bath instead since he was hardly of any help to the two when covered in flour.

 

The next time she returned to the kitchen - this time with Roland in tow - Henry and Robin were standing proudly by the counter. The kitchen was now clean and the apple turnover sat on the previously flour-covered counter.

 

All three watched on with anticipation as she took a bite of the turnover they had made. Regina nearly choked when she tasted the turnover. Tears welled up in her eyes and she had to cover her mouth to keep herself from spitting it out.

 

_Just what the hell did they put in this thing?_

 

She was aware of her high standards but she was certain that there was no way apple turnovers could taste like this. It was extremely salty and she wondered how much cinnamon Henry had placed in this thing.

 

Yet, glancing at the hopeful expressions painted on their faces, Regina could not bear to disappoint them. Thus, she forced herself to swallow and smiled, “It was extremely delicious.”

 

“Robin, no!” She exclaimed when he took a bite before she could stop him. That was not something she had expected.

 

Robin spat his mouthful out and scowled, “Regina, how could you eat this thing? It’s absolutely foul!”

  
This time, it was her turn to look sheepish. “Well, it’s just, you all put in so much effort and I didn’t want to disappoint you. Maybe next time, make sure it’s sugar you’re putting in and not salt? Oh, and hold back on the cinnamon, Henry.”


	5. Never Give Up On Us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> OQ Week Day 5: Forbidden Love

“I’m tired of sneaking around like that,” Robin sighed as Regina snuggled against him.

 

“I know, so am I,” She replied, rubbing circles on Robin’s palm. “I’m sorry, but you know how Mother is. She’s running for senator and I shudder to even think about the consequences if we were to ruin her perfect happy family image.”

 

Robin pressed a kiss against Regina’s temple, “We could always elope. Marry in Vegas or even run off to another country. Canada, perhaps?”

 

Regina sighed and sat up so that she could look at Robin properly, “We’ve been through this before, Robin. You know we can’t. She’ll always catch up with us.”

 

Regina understood where Robin was coming from with all of these. She had fallen deeply in love with the man but they were simply not meant to be. Her mother disapproved of their relationship and would definitely resort to unscrupulous means to tear them apart if she were to find out that they have been sneaking around like this. It was painful, but it was necessary if she wanted to continue to see Robin. Love is never easy.

 

Anger flashed across Robin’s eyes.

 

“This is about him, isn’t it? That Leopold guy you’re betrothed to marry? For goodness’ sake, Regina! It’s the twenty-first century! No one abides to betrothals anymore! You want to be with him instead, don’t you?” He spat bitterly.

 

Regina looked at him in fear, tears welling up in her eyes. They have had their arguments and disputes but he had never said anything this horrid to her before. This time, she was almost certain that he would break up with her and that she would lose the love of her life.

 

Robin’s heart clenched when he saw the look on Regina’s face. He looked at her in regret and reached out to pull her in for a hug, only to fail when Regina shook his hands off her and took a step back.

 

“Regina, I’m sorry. It’s just, we’ve been playing cat-and-mouse with your mother for over a year. I’m pretty sure that I’m good enough to provide for us if we were to start a family. Your mother simply disapproves because I have a juvie record and Leopold’s from a wealthy family,” He said softly, expressing his desire to be with her.

 

“Regina, let’s run away together. We’ll leave the States, go back to my hometown where we’ll be out of Cora’s jurisdiction,” Robin said.

 

Regina looked into his intense eyes and nodded.

* * *

_Dearest Robin,_

_I apologize deeply but I don’t suppose that I’ll be able to make it for the flight. Something has cropped up and I must attend to it. Please, forgive me, my love._

_Head over to Britain first and I’ll meet you there when I’m done. I promise that I’ll leave this place as soon as I’m done. I need you to have faith in me, in us, love._

_Please,wait for me. I promise to never let you down. I’ll contact you again._

_Loving you forever,_

_Regina_

 

Robin sighed when he read the letter. He thought that Regina had gotten cold feet when she did not show up but this letter proved otherwise. She was simply caught up in some matters and he would wait for her, no matter how long it took. He folded up the letter and tucked it into his breast pocket for safekeeping before entering the departure hall.

* * *

It took an entire month of waiting before Regina contacted him again. He did not mind the long wait. They had been dating secretly for over a year now anyway. He was overjoyed to have finally heard from her. He had so much to tell her about, having settled into a fairly nice apartment and a well-paying job. He had confidence in their future and he hoped she did too.

 

Robin stood in the airport, gripping the bouquet in his hands tightly as he waited for his love to walk through the gates and into his arms. He missed her so terribly. He finally caught a glimpse of her dark hair and couldn’t help but grin madly. His face fell when he saw her companion.

 

Regina caught sight of Robin and ran straight into his arms. They embraced and kissed passionately until Leopold coughed awkwardly in an attempt to remind them of his presence. Robin eyed the other man darkly, “What’s he doing here?”

 

Regina chuckled, “Don’t be jealous. You’re the only one in my heart. Leopold has been of a great help to us the past month. Without him, I probably wouldn’t be here with you now.”

 

“I think you missed out someone, Regina,” A dark haired woman said as she walked towards them and planted a kiss on Leopold. Robin looked at the exchange, confused.

 

Sensing his bewilderment, Regina began to explain, “I was about to leave with you that day when Mother caught me. She practically imprisoned me and the only times I could go out was when I was with Leopold. When I told Leopold about us, he introduced me to Eva, the woman he really wanted to marry instead, but was bound by our betrothal. The three of us came up with a plan to get me here and break the betrothal.”

 

Robin looked at the other couple in surprise. When he found his voice again, he said to them, “Thank you. Thank you for bringing her to me.”

 

“Well, it was something we all stood to benefit from,” Leopold smiled. “Now, Eva, let’s leave these two lovebirds alone. We have an entire city to explore.”

 

Before Robin or Regina could protest, Leopold and Eva left them alone in the middle of the airport. Regina looked up at Robin, her eyes filled with adoration, “I’ve missed you so much. Thank you for not giving up on me.”

  
“I’ll never give up on you, my love,” Robin replied, before leaning in and capturing her lips with his.


	6. Your Kisses Taste Like The Stars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> OQ Week Day 6: Secret Admirer

It first began with a single flower: A rose placed on her table in her Mayoral office. It had made her day, especially since she had a rough idea as to who it was from. Who knew that a single rose was all it took to make Regina Mills’ day?

 

There was no card attached. She treated the precious rose gently, placing it in a vase where she would be able to see it daily until it wilted. She smiled to herself and made a mental note to thank Robin for the lovely flower when she met him that night.

 

Robin had denied giving her any flowers. It had confused her immensely but even so, she believed him. Yet, if that was the case, who was responsible for the flower she had received early that morning?

 

There it was, the following morning, a second rose sitting on her table. This time, there was a tiny strip of paper attached to it. She carefully removed it from the rose and read it.

* * *

_Your beautiful smile is something I am unable to get out of my mind._

* * *

 

That was all it said. Regina was never a patient person and she had to know who this is from. It was excruciating, receiving a rose everyday without knowing the identity of the sender. She left work early that day and headed to the local florist.

 

They had refused to reveal the identity of the sender to her, even though she had attempted to abuse her authority as Mayor. They claimed to be upholding a florist-client confidentiality policy of some sort. It was bullshit to her.

 

A small card accompanied the third rose on the third morning. There was a short message on it.

* * *

_You have been trying to uncover my identity, haven’t you? Well, you could try harder, or stop trying. But I must say, though, your persistence is pretty charming._

* * *

The flowers from her secret admirer continued for the rest of the week. They were extremely distracting, preventing her from completing much work each day. It wasn’t until the seventh day that she was finally freed from this prison of thoughts. For on the seventh day, a bouquet of flowers arrived with a message that may shed some light on the identity of her secret admirer.

* * *

_My dearest Regina,_

_I bet your kisses taste like the stars._

_Your smiles are like my personal sun, brightening up my days._

_I love you to the moon and back,_

_So if you’d like to know my identity, join me for a meal at twilight._

* * *

She had left work early that day to get to the park in time. She had informed Robin of her plans to meet this secret admirer of hers, hoping that he wouldn’t get the wrong idea and was glad that he trusted her enough to agree. Imagine her surprise when she saw a romantic picnic set out but there was no one in sight. Thus, she sat down and waited.

 

A hand stretched out from behind her, handing her a single rose.

 

“I see that you’ve arrived, milady,” A familiar voice rang out and she took the rose and turned in surprise.

 

“You’re him?” She asked incredulously, her eyes wide with surprise. Robin simply shrugged and sat down beside her.

 

He leaned in to kiss her, breaking the kiss only to say, “Your kisses do taste like the stars.”

 

Regina smiled, a crimson blush setting in on her face, “I thought you said you didn’t send that rose on the first day?”

 

“It’s true, I didn’t send it. The florist did. I just orchestrated everything,” He smirked and poured them both a glass of wine.

 

“Have you any idea how excruciating it was, trying to find out who was sending me all those flowers?” She exclaimed exasperatedly.

 

Robin simply shrugged and winked at her, “I was trying to be romantic.”

 

Regina tossed her head back and laughed, “This is romantic. Having a secret admirer send you flowers when you clearly have a boyfriend is on the borderlines of creepy. Not that I cannot handle creepy.”

 

“Ah, but milady, your secret admirer is your boyfriend,” Robin retorted. Regina simply rolled her eyes and smiled.

 

“So, my Thief, are you going to tell me what we’re having tonight or are you going to starve me?”

  
“Ah, my Queen, you know I’d never dare to starve you,” Robin grinned and handed Regina a sandwich. “I love you too much to do that.”


	7. A Lovely Shade of Green

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> OQ Week Day 7: Jealousy

Regina sent another glare towards the blonde woman, who was sitting far too close to Robin and flirting with him in the most inappropriate manner. She recognized the woman as Seraphina, one of the women (or harlots, if you would use that term) who was frequently seen in the company of the Merry Men. Regina simply did not think that any of these women would make a move on the attached ones, let alone on Robin.

 

Seraphina had been flirting with Robin the entire night. She had placed her hand on his thigh countless times, despite Robin brushing it off each time. Regina had been irritated with her right from the beginning. In fact, it was a miracle she kept her temper in check and the woman only received glares from her. The blonde had the gall to fling herself on Robin right in front of Regina. Robin had appeared uncomfortable the entire night, sneaking glances at Regina and trying to push Seraphina away as much as possible.

 

It was one of those campfire nights for the Merry Men, something they held once every fortnight since they've arrived here in Storybrooke. Roland was staying home with Henry and Zelena had offered to watch over the children for them. Regina and Robin haven't have had a night out without the children for awhile and they had been looking forward to it. Then this had to happen and ruin the night for her.

 

Regina couldn't believe it took this long but someone finally noticed the glares she was sending Seraphina's way and whisked the blonde far away from Robin. She was grateful for that, especially since she wasn't sure how much more she could take before she sent a fireball the blonde's way. Sighing, Regina pinched the ridge of her nose, an action which failed to escape her soulmate's notice.

 

"Regina, are you alright? Do you want to head home early instead?" Robin asked, concern written on his face. He was worried about her, but he clearly wanted to spend more time with his Merry Men as well.

 

Regina shook her head and smiled softly at Robin. She leaned her forehead against his and said, "It's alright. I'm fine. I would like to return home early, but I know you want to spend more time with the Merry Men. You stay, I'll go back first."

 

Robin frowned, "Are you certain?"

 

"Yes, I'm sure of it. All I require is some sleep," she smiled reassuringly at him before giving him a kiss. Now that someone had pulled the threat away, Regina felt that she could leave. She needed some rest badly, especially when she had been holding her temper in the entire night. It was excruciating, but sometimes, her jealousy tended to get the better of her. But for now, she trusted Robin enough.

 

* * *

 

"What's the matter, Sis?" Zelena asked the moment she stepped into the foyer.

 

Regina sighed, "Just a headache. Thanks for babysitting."

 

"Ah, but you're looking green tonight. Probably runs in the family," Zelena quipped.

 

Regina frowned at her sister. Was it that obvious? She had to stop herself from looking into a mirror just to ensure that her skin wasn't turning green like Zelena's did.

 

"Don't worry, Robin loves you too much to do that," Zelena grinned before leaving in a green puff of smoke.

* * *

 

Regina stared disbelievingly at the sight in front of her. Seraphina leaned against the doorway, decked out in just a bathrobe, her hair tousled as though she just woke up.

 

"Good morning, Your Majesty. You must be looking for Robin. He's having a much-needed shower, especially after the amazing night we had," Seraphina smirked at her.

 

Before the woman could speak another word, Regina raised her hands and disappeared in a puff of purple smoke. What she failed to notice was the presence of another Merry Man, who stepped forward and wrapped his hands around Seraphina before kissing her. Robin stepped out of the bathroom minutes later and promptly escaped from the cabin before he could get caught up in their heated exchange.

 

Seraphina pushed the man away and shouted after Robin, "By the way, your evil lover was here!"

 

Robin stopped in his tracks. The next thing either of them knew, Robin had Seraphina pinned against the wall with his hand on her throat.

 

"Just what did you say to her, you harlot?" He barked at her. His actions shocked the girl so much that she confessed everything. Robin pushed her away roughly, into the arms of the other man.

 

It didn't take him long to find Regina, who was sitting on a log - the very log where he had pick pocketed her letter and read it out loud before the fight with Zelena.

 

"Regina," He began, and the brunette whipped around immediately. What he saw in her eyes shut him up effectively. The mixture of fear, hurt, betrayal and anger burned in her eyes and she couldn't seem to control the tears that were flowing freely.

 

"Don't, Robin. Not now..." She uttered, stepping away from him.

 

"No, Regina. You need to know the truth," he said firmly, stepping forward to close the distance between them.

 

She continued to retreat.

 

"What's there to know when I saw it with my own eyes? I thought you were different, Robin. But all I was was a tool to you, weren't I? Someone to use to satisfy your needs and to act as a mother to Roland. I... I really thought you were different..." She spat bitterly, as the fears and bad memories flowed through her mind like a broken tap.

 

She recalled her time as Queen to Leopold; How she was simply used as a possession and a nanny for Snow. She recalled how Leopold would simply cast her aside when he was done with her and how useless she felt.

 

She had taken several steps back unconsciously and it wasn't until she felt her back hit the trunk of a tree that she was brought back to the present. Robin was now close enough to hold her and that was what he did. He held her in his arms and looked deep into her brown orbs. He had registered the fear and pain she was feeling and it dawned on her that her jealousy had mainly stemmed from her insecurities of being used by men - the late King, to be exact.

 

"Regina, I simply spent the night in the cabin. There were other men around. Seraphina had spent the night with someone else and simply spread the lies to you when you came over this morning. You can ask the Merry Men if you don't believe me. Or you can take my heart or do whatever it takes that will help you understand that I'm speaking the truth."

 

Regina stared at Robin slightly surprised by his outburst. They stared into each other's eyes for another few minutes before Regina finally muttered, "Is my skin green, Robin?"

 

Robin could not help but let out a laugh, "No, my love. But even if it is, I would still love you all the same."

 

"I love you so much, Robin. And I trust you. I'm sorry I let my jealousy get the better of me. I can't help it sometimes," Regina said, her eyes downcast.

 

Robin placed a finger under her chin and lifted her head until her eyes met his again.

 

"You shouldn't be sorry. It was justified, judging by how that woman was behaving. Besides, your jealousy simply proves how deeply you care about me. I love you too, Regina, and I hope that you'll never have to doubt me again," Robin pulled her in for a kiss before she could say anything else.

 

 


End file.
